Ashes of Time
1994 · Movie · R · 100 min · ★ 7.1 · 74% critics
A cynical, heartbroken middleman lives in the desert, arranging paid revenge by pairing desperate clients with wandering swordsmen. As the seasons pass, he listens to stories of missed chances, unreturned love, and brief flashes of courage, while struggling to make sense of his own memories and isolation.
Also known as Ashes of Time Redux
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Details
- Original title
- 東邪西毒
- Years
- 1994
- Release date
- 1994-09-17
- Language
- CN
- Rated
- R
- Runtime
- 100 min
- Critic score
- 74/100
- TMDB rating
- 7.1/10 (398 votes)
About
You’ll like this if you want a moody, poetic wuxia that lingers on memory, loneliness, and longing more than swordfights, and don’t mind ambiguity; Not for you if you need clear plotting or nonstop action like Zatoichi.
Pros: haunting mood; striking desert imagery; poetic reflections | Cons: confusing story; very slow pace; little clear action
Themes
- tragic love
- frenemies
- machiavellian
- past regrets
- jin yong series
- dystopian-feel
Cast & crew
Leslie Cheung
as Ouyang Feng / Western Venom
Brigitte Lin
as Murong Yang / Murong Yin / Dugu Qiubai
Tony Leung Ka-fai
as Huang Yaoshi / Eastern Heretic
Carina Lau
as Peach Blossom
Tony Leung Chiu-wai
as Blind Swordsman
Charlie Yeung Choi-Nei
as Girl with Mule
Jacky Cheung Hok-Yau
as Hong Qi / Northern Beggar
Maggie Cheung
as Feng's Sister-in-Law
- 白丽
白丽
as Hong Qi's wife
Directed by Wong Kar-Wai